Houston's urban sprawl gets national attention

Carrie Taylor, Houston Chronicle

Updated 11:15 am, Thursday, April 3, 2014

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A national study by Smart Growth America has measured the urban sprawl (or lack thereof) of major metros across the country. The following are the most- and least- sprawling large metros, which are areas with a population of more than 1 million. For an in-depth look at Houston's suburban sprawl, check out Houston Chronicle reporter Dug Begley's recent article. less

A national study by Smart Growth America has measured the urban sprawl (or lack thereof) of major metros across the country. The following are the most- and least- sprawling large metros, which are areas with a ... more

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Most Sprawling

1. Atlanta-Sandy Springs/Marietta, Ga.

Index score: 41Overall rank: 220

Index score refers to the city's sprawl "grade," which is out of 100 and takes into account development density, land-use mix, activity centering and street accessibility.

Overall rank refers to the metro's rank in the master list of 221 areas examined in the study.

Houston's intense outward growth into the suburbs is not a new trend, but it has pushed the Bayou City into a No. 10 spot for urban sprawl in the country.

In terms of most sprawling large metros areas - that is, metros with a population of more than 1 million - Houston came out near the top, according to Smart Growth America.

The organization studied 221 metros in the United States and examined development density, land-use mix, activity centering and street accessibility to create an "index score," which helped them rank the cities from most- to least-sprawling. The lower the index, the bigger the urban sprawl.

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The photos above represent both sides of the spectrum: Most compact and most sprawling.